Peek inside pretty chapels, browse centuries-old art and enjoy panoramic city views at St. Mary’s Church (Bazylika Mariacka). Measuring 344 feet (105 meters) long and with a 256-foot-tall (78-meter) tower, this is one of the world’s largest brick churches. Although it was initiated in 1343, over 150 years passed before the church’s completion. Today, St. Mary’s Church is a popular place of worship and a venue for music recitals.
Stroll around the church’s exterior to appreciate its enormity, an aspect enhanced by its thick walls. Pay attention to architectural features such as battlements, buttresses and spires. Count the collection of 37 windows. Note that the church can hold up to 25,000 people.
Step inside to discover an airy whitewashed interior illuminated by the daylight flooding in through the windows. Look up at a Gothic-style vault, decorated with remnants of antique frescoes. Scattered around the stone floor are about 300 tombstones.
Wander between the church’s more than 30 chapels, many home to exceptional works of art. See a replica of Hans Memling’s The Last Judgment triptych and a 15th-century Pietà. Admire the elaborate astronomical clock, designed by the acclaimed German clockmaker Hans Düringer. Time your visit to coincide with the clock’s midday parade of Adam and Eve and the Three Kings.
Climb the 400-step spiral staircase to the observation deck at the tower’s summit. Take a moment to appreciate the views over Gdańsk’s storybook Old Town, the Motława River and Baltic Sea coastline. In medieval times the tower’s bells gave orders to open and close the city gates.
Located in the Old Town, St. Mary’s Church is a short walk from major city attractions, including Green Gate and Golden Gate. Get here by a pleasant walk along St. Mary’s Street. This cobblestone street of colorful merchant houses connects the church with the riverfront.
St. Mary’s Church is open daily and has a nominal admission fee. The tower is open seasonally and has an additional fee. Organ and choir music concerts take place throughout the year. Visit the church’s official website for details.
